Stanford University and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts plan small luxury hotel in Menlo Park

Stanford University and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts announced today that they are working on plans to develop a 120-room luxury hotel on a 21-acre site directly southeast of the Sand Hill Road/I-280 intersection in Menlo Park.

The site, about one mile west of the Stanford campus, is adjacent to land where some of the nation's foremost venture capital firms and other prestigious businesses are situated. The triangular-shaped site is on the east side of Interstate 280 and is bordered by existing office development on two sides and the freeway on the third.

Conceptual plans for the property call for a low-rise design that would blend in to the surrounding landscape and development.

Established in 1979, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the premier manager of ultra-luxury hotels, has created a unique collection of hotels and resorts that provide discreet, personal service and demonstrate remarkable attention to detail.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Rosewood currently manages 12 of the finest international hotels and resorts in the world, including Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort, located within the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John; King Pacific Lodge, A Rosewood Resort, in British Columbia; The Mansion on Turtle Creek, the flagship Rosewood Hotel, which received Mobil Travel Guide's five-star award in 2005 for the 16th consecutive year; The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, included in Travel and Leisure's "Greatest Hotels in the World 2005" list; and Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort, named "Top International Resort for 2004" by the readers of the prestigious Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report for the third consecutive year.

"Stanford and Rosewood are excited about the opportunity to work with the city to jointly produce a world-class luxury lodging facility that will reflect the business ethos, landscape and historical importance of the Sand Hill Road corridor," said Bill Phillips, a spokesman for Stanford Management Company.

The plans for the Sand Hill Road hotel are part of a project that includes a similarly sized office complex on the same site. Both components of the project are subject to review and approval by the Menlo Park City Council. The city's zoning designation for the land, C-1-C, is intended for Administrative, Professional and Research office uses.

Menlo Park officials have expressed interest in a using the property for a hotel development because of its potential to generate tax revenue with relatively low impact.

John C. Hill, founding partner of Hill Glazier Architects, a Palo Alto firm, is designing the project. Founded in 1980, Hill Glazier Architects specializes in the design of hotels and resorts, golf clubhouses and spas. Hill Glazier's designs are carefully planned to respect both the local architectural character and natural site features.

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